Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/822139845923627658/episodes/822139846389130660
――Morning.
“♪~”
I stride down the hallway in high spirits.
That’s because yesterday, I finally got the upper hand against Mashiro, my queen-like childhood friend who’s always taunting and mocking me the moment she opens her mouth.
“(A huge chance to redeem myself…!)”
Just as I was thinking that and about to enter the classroom, I nearly bumped into a female student near the door.
“Ah, sorry…”
“Ah, sorry…”
Our eyes met, and I recognized her immediately.
“Oh, it’s just Mashiro.”
“…………”
“W-what’s with that glare?”
“………… Nothing.”
I felt like Mashiro’s gaze was sharper than usual.
No, but Mashiro…
“—Actually, could you move out of the way? you’ve never had the right to block my path, and you never will, not now or ever.”
It wasn’t just her eyes—her words were sharper, too.
“S-sorry.”
“Hmph.”
As soon as I moved out of the way, Mashiro strode off.
……Huh?
Far from being back to normal, isn’t she even harsher than before?
—Clunk.
A drink fell out of the vending machine.
As I picked it up, I mulled over the strange feeling I’d had this morning.
Something’s off.
I thought I’d finally broken through Mashiro’s defenses the other day…
“Ah.”
“…Ah.”
Once again, our eyes met just as Mashiro approached the vending machine.
I didn’t miss that split-second crack in her composure.
“…What kind of dumb look do you have on your face, rummaging through the vending machine?”
“I’m not rummaging—I bought it.”
“Right. The reason it looks like you’re rummaging even though you bought it is because, at first glance, you look so shabby. Poor thing. Not that I feel sorry for you, though.”
“You really do love to be sarcastic, don’t you? And you’re so good at it…”
“I don’t like it, you know? It’s just that when I’m dealing with you, insults just slip out whether I want them to or not. It’s a perfect example of force majeure. Isn’t that how it is for everyone?”
“You’re the only one who’s like that, aside from Mashiro.”
“…You’re just interpreting things to suit your own self-defense, aren’t you? How pitiful. Of course, I’m not feeling sorry for you.”
“That final remark is totally unnecessary…”
Though I do sense a mysterious aesthetic in the fact that you went out of your way to say that.
“So, will you move out of the way already? You seem to really enjoy getting in my way, but I’m not going to bother with you over something like that. Or rather, you’re in the way. You’re really in the way.”
Mashiro tries to push me aside.
If this were the usual me, I would have obeyed her, just like this morning.
—But.
“M-move it already.”
“Nope, I’m not moving.”
“Huh?”
Facing a bewildered Mashiro, I declared with absolute confidence.
“It’s painfully obvious you’re just putting on a brave face, Mashiro.”
“Huh⁉”
Mashiro takes a step back.
Now it’s my turn.
“You probably think that if you act all tough like you used to, you can sweep the fact that you gave in to me under the rug… but that’s a really naive way of thinking.”
“W-what are you talking about? I don’t understand a word of this.”
“The situation is different now. You’re underestimating me way too much, Mashiro.”
“That’s not true… I-I mean, isn’t it only natural for people to underestimate you, Kensuke? Because…”
“what?”
“!!!”
When I leaned in close, Mashiro panicked and quickly turned her face away.
No doubt about it.
The castle with Mashiro as its queen is already crumbling.
“You’ve always had this weird tendency to put on a brave front, haven’t you, Mashiro? It’s like a small animal trying to intimidate someone.”
“H-huh? I’m not putting on a tough act, though.”
“Oh yeah, you are. And quite a bit, too.”
“W-what…!”
“Do you really want to stay on top of me that much? After all this time? After making such a fool of yourself?”
“A-a fool of myself…? W-well, if you’re going to say that, then Kensuke…”
“What about me?”
“!! Ugh, you’re so annoying…”
“You’re always saying ‘annoying,’ Mashiro. You should really work on that—that verbal tic of yours.”
“Huh?! Don’t get too cocky, will you?! You cowardly—”
Mashiro stops mid-sentence, frozen.
She can’t use her usual lines anymore.
Because—
“You already know I’m not a coward, right?”
“!!”
I wonder why.
Maybe because I’m usually the one getting told off by Mashiro, but I’m having so much fun being this tough-guy type—it’s totally out of character for me. Especially when it’s against Mashiro.
“W-well… I-I don’t know, or rather, I don’t remember, or maybe it’s not worth remembering… First of all, I don’t have the resources to spare for Kensuke, or rather, I wish you’d cut the self-consciousness to the chase…”
“Saying all that, you were totally aware of me, so you’re just putting on a brave face, aren’t you? More than ever.”
“I-I’m telling you I’m not putting on a brave face⁉”
“Ah, you’re still putting on a front.”
“W-what…?!”
“I guess your pride won’t let you accept it. The thought of losing to me.”
“Hmph! I-it’s not like that at all…”
I couldn’t help but let out a smile, and said it in a teasing tone.
“Surprisingly, you’ve got a cute side to you, Mashiro.”
“!!!!!!!!!”
Mashiro’s cheeks flushed bright red, and she crossed her arms as if to put on a brave front.
Pouting and rolling her eyes, she said,
“……I’m n-not c-cute at all……… this is the worst… I can’t take it anymore……”
And then.
We headed toward the classroom, rolling the juice we’d bought together in the palms of our hands.
“…………”
“…………”
During that time, we didn’t speak, and a slightly awkward atmosphere hung in the air.
The main cause, of course, was Mashiro, who was sulking and keeping quiet.
Unable to bear the awkwardness any longer, just as I was about to say something…
“Ooh, look—it’s Mashiro and Kita-chi! What a rare sight!”
Hase came grinning from ahead.
“What are you two doing here… huh?”
Hase looked back and forth between me and Mashiro.
Mashiro snapped out of it in a panic and said,
“W-well, Yaeko, what are you doing here? Class is about to start…”
“…Hey, just a thought, but…”
Hase flashed a mischievous grin.
My gut told me this was bad.
Hase has a surprisingly sharp side to her, and she knows Mashiro and me very well.
So, I thought she might have figured it out.
In other words, “it”—the fact that Mashiro and I had crossed the line.
“H-Hase. Come to think of it…”
I realized it and tried to change the subject, but it was already too late.
Hase kept grinning as she looked at us and said,
“You two… didn’t you just… kiss or something?”
“‘…………Huh?’”
K-kiss?
“Ahh, that reaction means you definitely did it. You know, like in anime? That cliché where childhood friends accidentally… you know, that kind of thing. That’s exactly the vibe I’m getting from you two right now. Just the atmosphere, you know? So, how about it? I’m right, aren’t I?”
…
“N-no way!”
“Exactly. If I were to k-kiss Kensuke in an accident… it wouldn’t just be awkward. I’d rather cut off my lips right now.”
“Huh?”
“……Huh?”
“No, I mean…”
“Huh?! K-Kensuke? What are you trying to say?”
“……Nothing, really?”
“That face of yours is saying more than words ever could, isn’t it?! Behave yourself! Seriously… um… a-are you an idiot?!”
“Yeah, I guess I am an idiot. A total moron.”
“Stop with that reaction! You’re getting carried away… a-absolutely not… so…”
Just as Mashiro looked down, the two of them snapped back to reality at the same time.
Right in front of them, Hase was grinning at us…
“So, you guys did kiss, after all?”
“We didn’t!!”
Well, actually, we did.
Or rather… we went way beyond that.
“Eh~, but you know…”
“Y-Yaeko! Come on, let’s go! Class is about to start.”
“Waaah, I wanted to talk a little longer~”
Grasping Hase’s arm, Mashiro walked ahead.
Even Hase, of all people, didn’t seem to have imagined that.
Or rather, normally, there’s no way anyone could have imagined it.
Just because we’re childhood friends, and we’re not even that close… something like that.
“Oh, a hug. Or maybe she got her chest touched? Or maybe a panty flash~?”
“Quiet, Yaeko!”
“Meow meow~”
“If you’re going to meow, then bark!”
“Woof~”
I guess things like this can actually be even less dramatic than reality…
▽ ▽ ▽
And then.
Mashiro started avoiding me on purpose again.
Apparently, she really hates it when I act tough with her.
Before, even when I told her not to come over, she’d just make herself at home at my place, but since then, she hasn’t even crossed the threshold…
—Ding-dong.
“Hm? Coming!”
When I opened the door, there stood—
“You’re slow… Get out in three seconds.”
My childhood friend stood there with a scowl on her face, holding a pot.
“…Mashiro, that pot doesn’t suit you.”
“What kind of insult is that?!”
Mashiro’s first visit to the scene since that incident—
――Two hours later.
A messy room.
I had Masaki pinned down, and next to her bright red face lay an open box of condoms.
“W-what are you doing… G-get off me…”
……Even if it is a standard trope in romantic comedies.
H-how did it come to this……
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